State of affairs at Gwalior—The Army of Exercise—The battle of Maharajpore—Want of heavy ordnance—The battle of Punniah—The Gwalior contingent—Honours conferred on the artillery—The ordnance commissariat remodelled—The artillery in Sindh—Reorganization of the regiment—Increase of horse-batteries.
In the following year (1843) the attention of the Supreme Government was directed towards a new quarter. The death of the Maharajah Junkojee Rao Scindiah was followed by alarming disturbances at Gwalior. The army became dominant in the State. The Regent, who had been nominated to preside over the Durbar, during the minority of the adopted son of the deceased ruler, was incompetent to control the rebellious soldiery; the widow of the late king took part against the minister, and the hostilities, which commenced with a bed-chamber intrigue, ended in a civil war. Such, indeed, became the anarchy and confusion at Gwalior, that the British Resident quitted Scindiah’s court, and the Governor-General, though not contemplating immediate interference, began to watch with some anxiety the progress of events at the Mahratta capital. As the year advanced, the Ranee’s party, at the head of which was the Dadur Khasgeewallah, a man whose temper and designs were notoriously hostile to the British, became stronger and stronger. Such of the officers, in the service of the Maharajah, as were known to be friendly to the paramount state, were ill-treated and dismissed. Covert hostility began to rise into open defiance; and it now became apparent, that from the other side of the Sutlej, the Sikhs were watching, with undisguised satisfaction, the excitement at Gwalior, and waiting to take advantage of any disaster that might befall us, to declare themselves on the side of the Mahrattas.
As the cold weather approached, the aspect of affairs became more and more threatening. To bring about a satisfactory settlement by mere diplomacy, appeared difficult, if not impossible; and Lord Ellenborough determined on assembling an army on the banks of the Jumna. The force assembled at Agra, in the month of November, under the personal command of Sir Hugh Gough, the Commander-in-Chief, and was called the “Army of Exercise.” At the same time a left wing was formed, under the command of General Gray, to operate upon Gwalior from the Bundlekhund country, whilst the main army advanced from Agra. On the 16th of December, Sir Hugh Gough commenced his march. Affairs were growing worse, and armed intervention was inevitable. When at length, the Khasgeewallah was given up, with the hope of arresting the progress of the British, the Army of Exercise was in full march upon Gwalior, and was not to be stayed.
The artillery division of the Army of Exercise was commanded by Brigadier G. E. Gowan, Captain J. H. Macdonald being his assistant adjutant-general. Colonel J. Tennant was appointed, with the rank of brigadier, to the command of the foot-artillery; Lieutenant and Brevet-Captain A. Huish, acting as major of brigade; and Captain E. F. Day, as commissary of ordnance. The components of the horse-artillery force were the 2nd troop 2nd brigade, commanded by Captain C. Grant, with Lieutenants Clifford and P. Christie, as subalterns; the 3rd troop 2nd brigade, commanded by Brevet-Major Alexander, with Brevet-Captain A. Fitzgerald (adjutant of the brigade, who had volunteered to do subaltern’s duty with the troop), and Lieutenant Wintle; and the 2nd troop 3rd brigade, with which were Brevet-Major Lane (commanding), Brevet-Captain C. Mills, and Lieutenant Moir. The foot-artillery consisted of the 1st company 1st battalion (with No. 10 light field-battery) under Brevet-Major Saunders; Lieutenants Bruce, Milligan, and Sladen, subalterns; and the 1st company 4th battalion, commanded by Captain B. Brown, with Lieutenants Holland and Remington. In addition to these were the heavy batteries, consisting of six 18–pounders and four 8–inch howitzers, manned by the reserve companies of the 4th battalion (European) and the 6th golundauze; the former under Lieutenant-Colonel Farrington, with Lieutenant Whiteford, adjutant; and the latter under Lieutenant-Colonel Denniss, with Lieutenant Warner, adjutant.
The artillery with the left wing was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Biddulph (Captain Austin, major of brigade), and was composed of the 1st troop 3rd brigade, commanded by Captain F. Brind, Lieutenants Coxe and Bourchier, subalterns; the 3rd troop 3rd brigade, under Captain George Campbell, with whom was Lieutenant Humfrays; and the 6th company 6th battalion, with No. 16 light field-battery, under Lieutenant W. Olpherts.
On the arrival of the advanced columns at Dholpore, they were met by the Khasgeewallah, whose surrender, now become a matter of fact, was regarded as a prelude to a general compliance with the terms dictated by the Governor-General. The bulk of the siege-train was therefore halted, and eventually ordered back to Agra.
On the 27th of December information was obtained that the enemy had advanced to Choundah, a village within eight miles of the position occupied by the “Army of Exercise” at Hurgonah, and arrangements were made next day to attack them on the 29th. On the morning of that day, the army advanced upon the village of Maharajpore. It was believed that the enemy were some miles distant; but, as the British troops ascended the rising ground, the Mahratta batteries opened suddenly upon our advancing columns; and as our own heavy artillery was in the rear, it was no easy matter to silence the destructive fire kept up by the enemy, with a spirit and a precision which could scarcely be excelled by the best gunners in the service of any European state.
Our light field-batteries were overmatched by the heavy metal of the Mahratta ordnance; but their steadiness under fire was never exceeded, and the determined resolution with which they carried on the unequal contest, elicited the highest praise. Captain Grant’s troop of horse-artillery came into action about half-past eight o’clock, when it engaged one of the enemy’s batteries, drawn up on the left of the village of Maharajpore. Here it was joined by Major Alexander’s troop, when “both advanced to within 500 yards of the enemy, and soon drove him from his guns, which were taken possession of by the 3rd brigade of infantry. On following up the enemy, the two troops were suddenly exposed to a cross fire, from two of the enemy’s batteries, which had hitherto been concealed; one in front, and the other on our left flank. Captain Grant was ordered to oppose the former, and Major Alexander the latter, which was soon after stormed and taken by the 3rd brigade of infantry; upon which Major Alexander followed up the retreating enemy with great effect, and Major Lane, with the 2nd troop 3rd brigade, joined them in the pursuit. In the mean time, Captain Grant had advanced to within 600 yards of the Choundah position, and was opposed singly to the fire of a heavy battery of 12 guns, for upwards of half an hour, and I regret to say, sustained a considerable loss in men and horses. So well chosen,” adds Brigadier Gowan, from whose report to the Commander-in-Chief these details are taken, “was the enemy’s position, that even on horseback, I could only discern the muzzles of their guns, which in weight of metal, as well as in number, were very superior to the troop’s. More than once, however, the enemy were driven by our fire from their guns, but being unsupported at the time, except by a weak troop of cavalry, no advantage of this could be taken, and he returned to his guns.”
In another letter, addressed to the assistant adjutant-general of artillery, Brigadier Gowan, with reference to the other details of field artillery, says, “Major Lane’s troop (2nd troop 3rd brigade) advanced with the 4th brigade of cavalry, under Brigadier Scott, forming the left column, and Nos. 17 and 10 light field-batteries, with the 4th and 5th brigades of infantry, respectively forming the centre column of attack. These came into action on the opposite side of the village of Maharajpore from that on which we were first engaged.... The conduct of officers and men was highly satisfactory, and everything I could desire.”
Nothing could have exceeded the resolute courage with which the Mahratta batteries were defended, alike by infantry and artillerymen, or the precision with which the guns were served by the latter. “I never witnessed,” wrote the Commander-in-Chief, “guns better served, nor a body of infantry apparently more devoted to the protection of their regimental guns, held by the Mahratta corps as objects of worship.” “The fire of the enemy,” wrote Brigadier Gowan, “was remarkably accurate, and was maintained with a smartness which surprised me. At one time they got the range of Captain Grant’s troop so exactly, that nearly every shot fell between the guns and waggons of the battery.”